Major League Baseball

Really? A's Lawrie says shame on you for antagonizing, Royals fans

Published Apr. 22, 2015 11:30 a.m. ET

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Jase Bandelow

It's all your fault, Kansas City Royals fans. If only you weren't so passionate. And loud. And awesome. 

Brett Lawrie is still fuming about the A's heated series in Kansas City last weekend that featured a perceived dirty slide into second base and a whole lotta beanball and ejections. Lawrie shared more of his feelings on the incidents with MLB.com reporter Jane Lee on Tuesday.

"That was probably the worst series of baseball that I've ever played," Lawrie said in the Lee article. "I don't think you can even call it baseball, because it wasn't. I've never been a part of anything like that in three days in my entire life. It wasn't baseball. It didn't feel like baseball.

"And the way their fans approached everything, I hated it. The way their fans were antagonizing everything, you know, I got a first-pitch missed curveball up in my head and everyone leaps up in their seat like Bruce Buffer is about to come out. That's not how we're doing things.

"Shame on their fans for antagonizing everything that went on there, because that had a lot to do with it. Shame on the players and their team that went with it. I'm just glad it's all over and we're moving on. We don't have to see them 'til June, and we're just going to continue to go out and continue playing baseball."

Asked to speak on the punishment dished out by Major League Baseball to pitchers Kelvin Herrera and Yordano Ventura, Lawrie had this to say: 

"You get what you deserve, more or less."

Herrera was fined and suspended five games "for intentionally throwing a pitch in the head area of Brett Lawrie" while warnings were already in place. Ventura was disciplined "for intentionally throwing a pitch at Lawrie."

Let's break down what Lawrie is saying here.

He starts off by saying what happened wasn't baseball. Fair, but he's heard of the unwritten rules of baseball, right? It's happened many, many, many times before and will continue until humans are replaced by robots. 

He then says he didn't like the way fans reacted to their team getting fired up and sticking up for each other. Really? This is a fan base we are talking about. I know fans are tough to come by in Oakland if it's not the playoffs, but what did he expect? Perhaps the next time the Royals get into an argument, fans should try out a nice golf clap and offer up some encouraging words like, "Keep playing superb baseball!" or "Golly jeepers, baseball is fun, everyone should win the World Series this year!" Is that what he's looking for? Get serious. 

And finally, the kicker, when he says shame on Royals fans. Like that's going to defuse the situation going forward. 

Word to the wise, Brett. Shaking your finger at Royals fans won't make it better. In fact, it likely only made it worse. You say it's over and you've moved on, well, fans won't. Fans will remember. Fans will be louder and more rambunctious than ever when the A's come back to The K. Just ask the Raiders. 

You can follow Jase Bandelow on Twitter at @JASEBANDELOW or email him at jase.bandelow@foxsports.net. 

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